Myrtle Barbour Durham

And she did her very best to make the most of every single year she was given.

Myrtle’s life had meaning. She had an insatiable appetite for learning. She was curious about everything, science, art, literature, even college textbooks. No one knows how many times she read the Bible, front to back. A woman of many talents, she loved reading and writing poetry about her life experiences. She was also an accomplished seamstress, as demonstrated by the fact that she designed and sewed the wedding gowns for daughters Katherine and Lorna, as well as tuxedos for the men in the wedding party.

As an avid family history researcher, she was proud that she was able to trace our roots back numerous generations. Her culinary skills were legendary. Her chicken pastry and pecan pies will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She was also known for her blue-ribbon worthy apple fritters.

She loved and cared for animals of all shapes and sizes. In addition to her own pets, her home was usually filled with sick kittens, birds, puppies, baby goats, and even an occasional turtle or two. She drew the line at snakes, although her son Chuck managed to sneak them in from time to time.

No one was a stranger at Myrtle’s house. If you were in need, had good character, the door was open. Most of all, she loved her family, and was a very proud and loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and most recently, great great grandmother.

Myrtle was preceded in death by her father and mother, Thurman and Irene Barbour as well as her brothers Gilliam and Donnie Barbour, and her sisters, Leatha Barbour and Monnie Broughton.

She will be missed by her brother Gilbert Barbour, her children, Katherine(James) Capps, David (Beth) Durham, Lorna(David) Christie, and her grandchildren, Cullen and Reilly Christie, Larissa and Russell Ashley) Simmons, Hunter(Hannah) Durham, Kaitlyn (Chris) Davis, great grandchildren Kijana, Jordan, and Peyton(Josh)Woods, Isaiah Simmons, Lyric Lucas, Chandler and Callahan Davis, Junior Simmons, and Everett Durham. She was also recently blessed with five additional great great grandchildren, Kingsley and Khaza Woods, Inara and Unique Holden, Elias Burnett and Kayden Copling-Simmons.

A Celebration of Life for Myrtle Durham will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023, 2-4 pm in the Hocutt Baptist’s Family Room, 314 West Horne Street, Clayton NC, 27520. (The Family Room faces Robertson Street.)